Register mark punch system and method

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing accurate register marks on film used for making printing plates. The system comprises a positive grid and a negative grid each having a plurality of graduated lines and each having a set of registered pin holes, and a punch board including a pair of registered pins adapted to receive the pin holes in the positive and negative grids, and punch means mounted on the board in spaced relation to the pins for punching registered pin holes in film negatives. The method comprises the steps of aligning an image bearing film negative with selected graduated lines of the positive grid, and attaching it to the grid. The positive grid is then mounted through its pin holes on the punch board pins thus putting the film negative in proper alignment with the punches. The film negative is punched and removed from the positive grid, after which it is placed on the pins after being stripped if desired. The negative grid is placed over the film negative on the pins and a pre-punched mask is placed over the negative grid. Holes are cut in the mask to expose portions of the graduated lines on the negative grid so that with double printing the graduated lines will appear as register marks in proper alignment on the film to be exposed.

United States Patent [1 1 Lindahl REGISTER MARK PUNCH SYSTEM AND METHOD[76] Inventor: Richard C. Lindahl, 4817 W. 85th St., Bloomington, Minn.55431 [22] Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,200

[52] US. Cl. 33/1845, 95/1 R, 96/41,

355/79, 355/132 [51] Int. Cl. B41b l/00, G03b 27/02 [58] Field of Search95/1 R, 1.1; 35/3240,

355/88, 113, 72, 77, 78, 79, 132; 33/1845; l0l/DIG.12, 401.1

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Kenn'eth C.Hutchison Attorney, Agent, or FirmLew Schwartz; Wayne A. Sivertson [11]3,798,782 Mar. 26, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A system and method for providingaccurate register marks on film used for making printing plates. Thesystem comprises a positive grid and a negative grid each having aplurality of graduated lines and each having a set of registered pinholes, and a punch board including a pair of registered pins adapted toreceive the pin holes in the positive and negative grids, and punchmeans mounted on the board in spaced relation to the pins for punchingregistered pin holes in film negatives. The method comprises the stepsof aligning an image bearing film negative with selected graduated linesof the positive grid, and attaching it to the grid; The positive grid isthen mounted through its pin holes on the punch board pins thus puttingthe film negative in proper alignment with the punches. The filmnegative is punched and removed from the positive grid, after which itis placed on thepins after being stripped if desired. The negative gridis placed over the film negative on the pins and a pre-punched mask isplaced over the negative grid. Holes are cut in the mask to exposeportions of the graduated lines on the negative grid so that with doubleprinting the graduated lines will appear as register marks in properalignment on the film to be exposed.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMARZS m4 3798.782

I N VEN TOR. 5.; 5 1 51 Richard C. Lindakl REGISTER MARK PUNCH SYSTEMAND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of register marks orcenter-line marks in lithography and related fields is well-known tothose skilled in the art. Particularly when the printing process is toinclude a plurality of colors, it is known that less than accurateregister or center-line marks will cause significant errors in the finalprinting from printing plates made with a film carrying misalignedmarks. In general, the register marks or center-lines are placed on thework by an individual using drafting tools such as T-squares andtriangles. The slight errors which can result from different pencilangles, slight miscalculation in the placement of the T-square ortriangle, etc., result in highly undesirable printing errors. Variouspunch systems have been devised in an attempt to achieve properalignment for providing accurate register marks. However, no system isknown to the inventor which provides the simplicity of operation andaccuracy of applicants system and method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, theapparatus of the systemof this invention comprises a positive and a negative grid, used incombination with registered pins mounted on a board in predeterminedspaced relation from punches. The positive grid has a transparentsurface and a plurality of opaque graduated lines. In the preferredembodiment numbers are provided on the grid to aid in alignment. Thepositive grid has at least one pair of registered pin holes. Preferably,the positive grid also carries a plurality of slots for tape connectionto an image bearing film negative. Also, the positive grid has cutoutsthrough which punch means can pass to punch the film negative which isattached to the positive grid. The negative grid is preferably a filmnegative of the abovedescribed positivegrid, that is, it has an opaquesurface carrying a plurality of transparent graduated lines. Thenegative grid also carries at least a pair of registered pin holes inalignment with the pin holes in the positive grid. The negative gridneed not carry the tape slots or the cut-outs. A board is providedhaving at least a pair of pins in register with the pin holes in the twogrids. Punch means are mounted on the board in predetermined spacedrelation with the'pins for punching fur ther pin holes in register withthe pins.

' Briefly described, the method of this invention comprises aligning afilm negative with the graduated lines on the positive grid such thatthe pin holes are not covered but that the cut-outs are. The positivegrid pin holes are then placed on the board pins and registered holesare punched by the punches through the cut-outs into the film negative.The film negative is then removed from the positive grid and its pinholes are placed on the board pins or another set of registered pins,for example, on a light table. The negative grid is placed over the filmnegative and at this point a visual check'can be made, as the filmnegative should be in the same alignment with the negative grid asit'was with the positive grid. The film negative may be stripped asdesired before the negative grid is placed over it. A mask is thenprepared by punching registered pin holes in it and placing it over thenegative grid and the film negative on the pins. The mask isthen cut toprovide slots which include ce'nterline marks made by the graduatedlines on the negative grid. Through the process of double printing, thecenterline or register marks are placed on the film being exposed inaccurate alignment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of thepositive grid of-this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the negative grid of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plane view of the punch board of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 3 having mounted thereonthe film negative attached to the positive grid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded. view of the alignment of the film negative, thenegative grid and a mask apparatus indicating how the three are mountedon preregistered pins; and I FIG. 6 is a view of a film negativeproperly punched for accurate crossover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the followingdescription andthroughout this entire specification and claims, the word register whennot applied to register marks means that the items in register are inpredetermined spaced relationship.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a positive grid 10 having atransparent surface and a plurality of graduated lines with numbersindicating in this pre ferred embodiment the dimensions of the graduatedlines. That is, between the lines marked, for example, 8 there is adistance of 8 inches. Also shown in grid 10 are a plurality of tapeslots 11 adapted to be used to connect grid 10 to a film negative. Grid10 also has a pair of registered pin holes 13 and a plurality of punchedcut-outs 12.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a negative grid 15 having anopaque surface with a plurality of transparent graduated lines, thegraduated lines being numbered as are the lines of grid 10. Grid 15 alsohas a plurality of registered pin holes 16.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a punch board 20 having mountedthereon a plurality of punches'2l. Board 20 has a plurality ofregistered pin holes 22 adapted to receive pins such as pins 23 inpreregistered position. Punches 21 are in predetermined spaced relationto pin holes 22 and thus pins 23 for punching registered pin holes infilm.

The operation of the system and method of this invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, as well asthe abovedescribed FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

To commence the operation, a film negative 30 which is to be used tomake printing plates is aligned with positive grid 10. The vertical andhorizontal graduated lines on grid 10 enable accurate visual alignmentand centering of the film negative on the grid. For ex ample, a filmnegative 30 carrying a picture which is 6 by 8 inches can bealigned byeasing the vertical and horizontal graduated lines marked 8" on the gridto achieve an accurate alignment. After alignment, tape 17 is placedpreferably over two of slots 11 as shown in FIG. 4, to hold filmnegative 30 in alignment with grid 10.

Then as also shown in FIG. 4 pin holes 13 of grid 1.0 are placed overpins 23 on board 20 such that cut-outs 12 are directly under punches 21.Note that film negative 30 has been mounted to grid such that pin holes13 are not covered by film negative 30 but that cut-outs 12 are coveredby film negative 30. Pins 23 have been placed in the desired pin holes22 to insure that cutouts 12 fall under punches 21. When film negative30 and grid 10 have been placed in alignment on board 20, as shown inFIG. 4, at least two of punches 21 are operated to pass through cut-outs12 and punch registered pin holes 31 in film negative 30, as shown inFIG. 5. Film negative 30 is then removed from board 20 and grid 10. Itis stripped as desired and its registered pin holes 31 are then placedover a set of registered pins 23 which may still be on board 20 or maybe on another device, preferably a light table (not shown). Negativegrid is then mounted over film 30 on pins 23 by its registered pin holes16. Because of the accuracy of the preregistered punches 21 with respectto pins 23 on board 20, when grid 15 is mounted on pins 23 its alignmentwith film negative 30 should be the same as the alignment of grid 10when it was connected to film negative 30.

A mask 35, shown in FIG. 5, which may comprise a well known piece oforange paper, is then punched with a set of registered pin holes 36.This can be simply accomplished by holding mask 35 under punches 21 andoperating the punches. When mask 35 is in position, a plurality of slots37 are cut to expose portions of the graduated lines on negative grid15. These crosshatched graduated lines will then act as the registermarks or center-lines for film negative 30 when film negative 30 isdouble contacted.

The above-described system and method of operation can be used toprovide accurate crossovers. When crossovers are needed, a pair ofregistered pin holes 31 can be punched on each side of film negative 30as shown in FIG. 6. Then, the film negative may be cut down the centerand the cross-over printing performed, such as combining pages 6 and 7and 2 and 3 to become 6 3 and 2 7 in a pamphlet, for example. Because ofthe accuracy of the pin holes 31, reregistration of the cut filmnegative 30 will result in accurate alignment despite an inaccuratecutter, by allowing pin holes 31 to be the determining registrationfactor.

From the above, it will be apparent that the system and method of thisinvention provide a solution to the problems raised in achievingaccurate registration marks on film to be used to make printing plates.The system and method of this invention save time and thus greatexpense, while increasing accuracy.

I claim:

1. The method of mounting a printing assembly for providing registermarks on a film used in making printing plates comprising the steps of:

A. aligning a film with a positive grid having a plurality of graduatedlines, registered pin holes, and registered punch cut-outs;

B. attaching the film to the positive grid so the pin holes are open andthe film is under the cut-outs;

C. mounting the positive grid pin holes on registered pins in spacedrelation to punches;

D. operating the punches to punch registered holes in the film;

E. removing the film from the positive grid;

F. mounting the film pin holes on registered pins;

G. mounting a negative grid having a plurality of graduated lines andregistered pin holes over the film on the registered pins;

H. punching registered holes in a mask and mounting the mask over thenegative grid on the registered pins; I

I. cutting apertures in the mask to expose the desired center lines onthe negative grid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of operating the punchescomprises the step of punching two registered holes on each page of adouble page film and the step of mounting the film comprises the step ofproviding two registered pins for each page cut from a double page film.

1. The method of mounting a printing assembly for providing registermarks on a film used in making printing plates comprising the steps of:A. aligning a film with a positive grid having a plurality of graduatedlines, registered pin holes, and registered punch cut-outs; B. attachingthe film to the positive grid so the pin holes are open and the film isunder the cut-outs; C. mounting the positive grid pin holes onregistered pins in spaced relation to punches; D. operating the punchesto punch registered holes in the film; E. removing the film from thepositive grid; F. mounting the film pin holes on registered pins; G.mounting a negative grid having a plurality oF graduated lines andregistered pin holes over the film on the registered pins; H. punchingregistered holes in a mask and mounting the mask over the negative gridon the registered pins; I. cutting apertures in the mask to expose thedesired center lines on the negative grid.
 2. The method of claim 1wherein the step of operating the punches comprises the step of punchingtwo registered holes on each page of a double page film and the step ofmounting the film comprises the step of providing two registered pinsfor each page cut from a double page film.